Critic Reviews
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Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
Williams, who has comparatively little screen time, has come to act, not to cut comic riffs, and he does so with forceful, ultimately compelling, simplicity.
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Variety Staff, Variety
Story sings whenever Williams is onscreen. Screen belongs just as often to Leonard, who as Neil has a quality of darting confidence mixed with hesitancy. Hawke, as the painfully shy Todd, gives a haunting performance.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
The moral divisions set up between characters are childishly overdrawn; and, worst of all, the behavior shown by the boys and adults frequently reeks of falsity and contrivance.
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, Time Out
Weir infuses the film with his customary mysticism, but more importantly, draws sensitive performances from his largely inexperienced cast.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
The movie undercuts Mr. Williams's exceptionally fine performance, making the character seem more of a dubious fool than is probably intended.
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Rita Kempley, Washington Post
It's a literate though strained uplifter, a not altogether compatible coupleting of Rocky Balboa and the Bard.
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Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It's not so easy to dismiss Dead Poets Society. For all its faults, it still has as much power as it ever did.
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James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Williams keeps a stiff upper lip, showing a more sedate and sensitive side, and the Oscar-winning screenplay provides a strong backbone.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Falters when it goes for too much heart-tugging manipulation.
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Randy White, Common Sense Media
Inspiring, intense story of a teacher and his students.
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Angie Errigo, Empire Magazine
Beautifully directed and with an Oscar-winning story.
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, Film4
A film that celebrates the importance of inspiration, albeit in slightly affected fashion.
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Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
A bundle of growing pain blues, flamboyant declarations of self, and doomsday faculty foul-ups, and it cooks when delivered in big batches of adolescent passion.
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Rory L. Aronsky, Screen It!
Watch "Dead Poets Society" and you'll see the efforts of a filmmaker who has his own loving style in making movies.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Though sentimental and contrived, this valentine to charismatic, dedicated teachers is extremely well acted (even by Robin Williams) and it does make you feel good about loving literature and poetry.
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Above average drama that put Robin Williams on dramatic actor map.
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Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Robin Williams at his tolerable best.
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, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The role of Keating is a plum assignment for the talented Williams, who largely steers clear of schtick under Peter Weir's direction. Nicely shot with a good youthful cast.
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Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
Part of what makes Dead Poet's Society so great is that it challenges you to think. It can inspire you to be more than a simple cog in a wheel.
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Joshua Tyler, CinemaBlend.com
Serves as a reminder of why passion is so important in life, and how literature is much more then words on a page.
Read all 20 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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Dead Poets Society is a well crafted drama with a great cast and a compelling story that is engaging from start to finish. The film boasts a powerful performance from Robin Williams, who was nominated for an Oscar. Dead Poets Society is one of those rare films that rely on a wonderful… More
Dead Poets Society is a well crafted drama with a great cast and a compelling story that is engaging from start to finish. The film boasts a powerful performance from Robin Williams, who was nominated for an Oscar. Dead Poets Society is one of those rare films that rely on a wonderful script to tell its story. This is the finest film from director Peter Weir, who uses simple elements to tell a memorable story. Weir's direction is incredible and he conveys something truly unique here. Weir directs a great cast here and the story is engaging and will surely appeal to genre fans. This film has a simple, yet effective plot, and it its films like this that remind you that the best films only rely on a well developed story to capture the interest of the viewer. This may not appeal to everyone, but for those looking for a film with a great cast and wonderful story, then this film is for you. Robin Williams really stands out here, and he elevates the material even further. The film is not perfect, but in terms of performances, and story, Peter Weir has crafted something truly special. I really enjoyed the film and it among the best drama films of the 1980's. My only real complaint would be that the ending was a bit too cheesy, but otherwise, the film was worth seeing. Dead Poets Society is a flawed film, but it is a well acted, directed picture that is highly engaging from start to finish. I think that the ending should have been reworked slightly, other than that, this was a must see picture and a terrific drama that is worth checking out.
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Incredible. There hasn't been a film that isn't so attuned to my own concerns, with the truest of sympathies, this film is everything that all my life I bore my deep anguish. And its greatest pull comes from that, even then, the film making is poignantly fleshed. And there… More
Incredible. There hasn't been a film that isn't so attuned to my own concerns, with the truest of sympathies, this film is everything that all my life I bore my deep anguish. And its greatest pull comes from that, even then, the film making is poignantly fleshed. And there hasn't a film that contains so much of what profoundly implicates oh so many who live in this miserly, dysfunctional society. It is sentimental, and so it ends as it probably should, on a heart-tugging tragedy and finally ends in a keep-the-faith, hopeful note of how we can all come to truly live meaningful lives.
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Dead Poets Society is a topnotch drama that succeeds in most aspects, having both a well-written story and a cast full of outstanding performances. Though its message may well be too much or a bit too dangerous to freely voice out, its sincerity to inspire without a doubt will reach… More
Dead Poets Society is a topnotch drama that succeeds in most aspects, having both a well-written story and a cast full of outstanding performances. Though its message may well be too much or a bit too dangerous to freely voice out, its sincerity to inspire without a doubt will reach the hearts of not only dreamers out there but also those in search for a meaning within their existence.
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Carpe Diem. Seize the day. That's the message for Knox Overstreet, Charlie Dalton, Pitts, Steven Meeks, Neil Perry, Todd Anderson and Cameron. Robin Williams stars as the upbeat teacher, John Keating, to these quite different and kids with big dreams. Todd dreams of being a… More
Carpe Diem. Seize the day. That's the message for Knox Overstreet, Charlie Dalton, Pitts, Steven Meeks, Neil Perry, Todd Anderson and Cameron. Robin Williams stars as the upbeat teacher, John Keating, to these quite different and kids with big dreams. Todd dreams of being a writer and Neil dreams of acting on the stage in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Both will try their hardest to accomplish these goals and one will fail trying.
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This is a film that left me with mixed feelings. Luckily, it has more good than bad (a lot more good), but there is one scene in this film that just simply wasn't done right. Unfortunately, I can't say what the scene is (mostly on the grounds that it's a massive… More
This is a film that left me with mixed feelings. Luckily, it has more good than bad (a lot more good), but there is one scene in this film that just simply wasn't done right. Unfortunately, I can't say what the scene is (mostly on the grounds that it's a massive spoiler), but one very small detail screws the whole scene up. But the rest of the film's execution is always competent and enjoyable. There are a few scenes that truly rise to greatness, but the rest of the film is simply enjoyable. I definitely recommend seeing it. And one final thing. This is NOT Robin William's best performance, not even close. If you want to see a good performance from him, watch "One-Hour Photo" or "Good Will Hunting."
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There's absolutely no question as to why DEAD POETS SOCIETY was nominated for Best Picture in 1989. Truly, if it weren't for the fact that a few critics thought Robin Williams should have just gone back to comedies (an absolutely idiotic statement, in my opinion, though I… More
There's absolutely no question as to why DEAD POETS SOCIETY was nominated for Best Picture in 1989. Truly, if it weren't for the fact that a few critics thought Robin Williams should have just gone back to comedies (an absolutely idiotic statement, in my opinion, though I can see a slight bit of their reasoning), this would have easily won the award. "Carpe diem; seize the day, boys!" If that one quote is remembered centuries from now, don't expect me to be at all surprised. DEAD POETS SOCIETY was like a tragic, sometimes witty drama that is one of Robin Williams' best yet.
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Impressionable prep school types are challenged by wild card English Poetry teacher Williams who encourages them to "feel the words." Will they all take up goth rock???
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Before watching this movie, I already heard great reviews about this movie.. And those reviews were true, after almost 2 hours watching this movie I must say that I'm truly impressed with Peter Weir's job in this movie.. Not only he made a great movie that could inspire the… More
Before watching this movie, I already heard great reviews about this movie.. And those reviews were true, after almost 2 hours watching this movie I must say that I'm truly impressed with Peter Weir's job in this movie.. Not only he made a great movie that could inspire the audience who watch it, but he also collects a great cast full with potential young actors and we see one of them, Ethan Hawke, is now an A-class Hollywood actors.. Robin Williams' performance as Mr. John Keating was truly convincing, and he deserved his Academy Awards nominee for Best Actor.. But the one who steal my attention was Robert Sean because his performance was very good, too bad he didn't get lucky enough to have a nominee.. Overall, it's a great movie, with a great story, and a great cast, I guaranteed you'll be inspired after watching this movie..
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one of the best films of its decade. as a massive fan of poetry this film was tailor made for me, especially as a fan of keating's perspective. williams was perfect in what may be the best performance of his stellar career. the insights, the inspiration, and the contrasts… More
one of the best films of its decade. as a massive fan of poetry this film was tailor made for me, especially as a fan of keating's perspective. williams was perfect in what may be the best performance of his stellar career. the insights, the inspiration, and the contrasts built into the characters make the film more than just another "teacher inspires kids" film, as the events surrounding the film are completely believable. the only thing holding the film back from perfection in my mind is the way the film puts a halt to the teaching, the club, the relationships, and the poetry in order to explore a dark final act that in some ways kills the films momentum, but even then what we are given was executed with precision. a wonderful film.
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Dead Poets Society grabs a bunch of talented actors, places them in a film where the story is already magnificent, and gives the audience 100% satisfaction. However, that being said, even though the film satisfies and is one of the best scripted films in it's genre, it does feel… More
Dead Poets Society grabs a bunch of talented actors, places them in a film where the story is already magnificent, and gives the audience 100% satisfaction. However, that being said, even though the film satisfies and is one of the best scripted films in it's genre, it does feel dull at times, because there aren't enough events occurring. Overall, I loved Dead Poets Society. It has emotion, comedy, life lessons and life decisions. What more can you ask for? The final act of the film is unexpected and brutal, which makes it all the more believable. This film is stunning!
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One of my favorite movies of all-time! A brillant, touching, tragic story. Great performances, too. Great movie all around!
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Slow at times but delivers a powerful bang at the end. Some good and some great acting help spotlight Robin Williams performance.
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At times the story was a bit over dramatic, but the moral is still good.
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O Captain! My Captain! A film that can be uplifting, heart warming, moving and trgic but always unforgettable. "Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary."
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I will never understand why this has to be as obviously sappy as it is, it still has a lot to like. There were some good performances in it, namely Ethan Hawke, but also some over-acting. The story is interesting, but it never really developed, it just ended with inspirational music… More
I will never understand why this has to be as obviously sappy as it is, it still has a lot to like. There were some good performances in it, namely Ethan Hawke, but also some over-acting. The story is interesting, but it never really developed, it just ended with inspirational music and a desk standing applause.
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He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary. Robbin Williams was Brilliant in his Role.
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No offense, but I wasn't super inspired or anything after watching this movie. Robin Williams is funny, and that scene with Ethan Hawke's craziness was the stuff of legends, but all that talk of carpe diem and ripping out pages of poetry oh-this-is-so-pretentious was so… More
No offense, but I wasn't super inspired or anything after watching this movie. Robin Williams is funny, and that scene with Ethan Hawke's craziness was the stuff of legends, but all that talk of carpe diem and ripping out pages of poetry oh-this-is-so-pretentious was so surface-level to me. So why did I like this film so much? Plain and simple, the high school adolescent preppy horny hormonal BOYS, with big dreams and deliciously hot schoolboy ties and jackets. Whether it was popular premed-turned-actor-turned-tragic-figure Neil, or bad boy Charlie, or shy sweet head-over-heels loverboy Knox, I leave this film salivating for more. Carpe diem guyz!
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Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles
English professor John Keating inspires his students to a love of poetry and to seize the day.
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Great movie. Robin Williams at his finest. Love it when he… More
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles
English professor John Keating inspires his students to a love of poetry and to seize the day.
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Great movie. Robin Williams at his finest. Love it when he does serious roles. Comedy comes so easy to him. So it's nice when he does something like this movie and proves himself to be versatile. Loved the story. Very funny, charming, and yet very sad at the same time. You feel for these characters. The performances were great. A must see..
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Cringe worthy, contrived and convoluted. Not Peter Weir at his best, this is just Oscar fodder and complete garbage!
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one of the most inspirational films in the history of inspirational films, dead poets society has stood the test of time. robin williams' character is as loveable and admirable today as it was when the film came out. peter weir's direction is incredible also (check out the… More
one of the most inspirational films in the history of inspirational films, dead poets society has stood the test of time. robin williams' character is as loveable and admirable today as it was when the film came out. peter weir's direction is incredible also (check out the foggy run through the forest, breathtaking)
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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